Aquatic plants, popularly known as seaweeds, form one of the important living resources of the ocean. Seaweeds are used in a large number of applications, including food for human consumption and also for commercial purposes. For example, carrageenan is a gelling agent extracted from red seaweeds, and is used as an emulsifier, a binder, or for suspension and stabilization in a wide range of products in the food processing, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Therefore, such aquatic plants are generally grown on a commercial scale.
Seaweed farming is the practice of cultivating and harvesting seaweeds. Today, seaweed production and processing have become a high value and important livelihood activity in many marginal sea farming communities as well as enterprises in urban centres of the country. Generally, seaweed farming is a very labour intensive activity involving substantial amount of human labour during various stages of cultivation and harvesting. Further, while certain seaweeds are cultivated from seeds and spores and have a distinct seeding and harvesting season, certain other types of seaweed, such as Kappaphycus and Gracilaria, do not have a distinct seasonality for seeding and cultivating.